Route 66: The 100-Year Ride visits Meramec Caverns

STANTON, Mo. (KY3) - If you’ve driven down I-44, or on Route 66, you’ve seen the signs for Meramec Caverns.

Fewer and fewer of those old barns with the advertising are around these days. Decades ago, the government outlawed that kind of advertising, but those around were grandfathered in. So, there are about 20 of them left.

Now in its fourth generation of ownership and its fifth generation of employees, Meramec Caverns is one of the oldest and most visited spots on the entire Route 66.

Lester Dill opened up the cave for tours in 1935.

“We’re about building relationships,” current owner Les Turilli, Jr. said. “So the guides build relationships with the families that come through. And we want generations to come after this. So sometimes we have grandparents bringing their grandkids that they’ve been here decades before wanting to create those same memories.”

They originally had square dances in the room known as the ballroom, but Lester wanted something else to do in his free time. So he started exploring the cave.

Along with Civil War artifacts, he found items belonging to the notorious Jesse James in a lower level after an historic drought.

All of this is pointed out on the hour-and-15-minute tour.

“I’m always in awe, even though I still work here every day,” Les said. “There’s something new that you can always find, a face in the wall or a new formation you haven’t seen before. The cave is just literally packed with history and formations, and it’s quite remarkable.”

Over the winter, Meramec Caverns put in a brand new light show that concludes the tour at the Stage Curtain. A huge wall of formations looks like a curtain with a video and lights paying tribute to America and our service men and women.

“My favorite part is probably the Wine Room,” Les said in a close vote with the Stage Curtain. “And it contains the rarest formation in the world. It’s called the wine table. And the room is so rare because it was formed underwater. It’s the highest room in the cave, but at one point that entire room was underwater. So it’s very unique.”

Lester Dill also had another way to get his name out other than the barns. In the early days, his wife made wooden plaques to strap onto car bumpers - but they would fly off.

So Dill talked with a friend in St. Louis, and the first bumper sticker was born. It was even an answer on Jeopardy a few years ago.

“I hope people will try to get out and explore Route 66 this summer,” Les said. “Maybe if it’s not the entire route from Chicago to LA, but maybe just a little glimpse, maybe through Missouri, and see some of these older stops like Meramec Caverns. We’ve tried to maintain a family atmosphere, so it’s friendly, it’s safe, and it’s enjoyable.”

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